Fluid meter



Dec. 6, 1927., 1,651,885

A. J. GRAN BERG FLUID METER Filed Jan. 19, 1926 v2 Sheets-Sheet l A MMWl/llllllll/ I N VEN TOR.

A. J. GRANBERG FLUID METER `2 Sheets-Shee 2 Filed Jan. 19. 1926 Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

.ALBERT J. GRANBEBG, 01.3 .r' .-'r L f nv, cAnni'onNu.A

v:anima mnu.

applicati@ mea January iafiaas. serial No. sansa.

This invention relates to li uid meters for accurately measuring and indicating the volurne, of liuids.

vIt is the principal object of the presentl 1nvention to generally improve the construction and operation of fluid meters whereby to provide a meter of comparatively simple construction which is capable of accurately registering the volume of liquidv ,passing therethrough and wherein the wearing surfaces of the operatingy parts will not e exposed to the abrasive action of any gritty substances likely to be contained in the liquid being metered. ,s

In carrying out this object yI provide a meter having a metering chamber divided into a plurality of compartments by cooperating pistons. Above the metering chamber an inlet chamber is provided and below the metering chamber a discharge chamber is formed. Valve means are provided which cooperate with the pistons to control the admittance of iuid from the inletchamber to the meterin compartments and from the latter to the di are actuated by the fluid and in turn actuate the valves so that the fluid is delivered to the metering compartments in succession and `expelled from opposite compartments. rlhe w displacement of the pistons is indicated by a registering mechanism to indicate the quantity of liquidv assing through the meter.

, One form w ich the invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings. in which:

. Fig. 1 1s a side. elevation of a meter em. bodying the preferred forni of my invention,

Fig. 2 `is a vertical centralv section through the meter disclosing its construction and taken on line I-Il of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a section through the meter taken on line IIIe-Ill of Fig. 1, disclosing the bottom of the meter head with parts broken .away to more clearly illustrate certain features of its construction.

Iiig..y 4 is a sect-ion through the meter taken on line IV-,IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view disclosing the vadjustment mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a view'in central section throughthe gyratory piston"` and disclosing the mech* anism connected thereto in dotted lines and taken on line Vl--VI of Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, 10 indicates a fluid meter Scharge chamber. The pistons.

capable of accurately registering the uantitymf Huid or liquid passing throng it. This'meter 10 is tted at its top with a registering mechanism 11 for visibl indicating the vo unie of fluid passing t rough the meter. Registering or indicating mechanisms of this type are well known and for this reason it is not illustrated or described in detail. It will sutlice to say that the indil cator is driven by the meter mechanism to translate the cubic volume of liquid passing through the meter into gallonsand portions thereof, when using the meter in connection with li uid dispensing apparatuses and the like. owever, the indicator ma indicate the quantity of liquid or Hui passing throu h the meter in an other desired manner without departing m the present invention.

Reference being had to Figs. 1 and 2, the meter comprises a meter head 12, a body 14 formin a metering chamber 15 and a bese 16. i. members are errang in su- 4-pergosed position and are firmly bolted toget er at their meeting surfaces as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The meter head 12 'is formed with upper and lower walls 17 and 18 which are spaced apart. Intermediate these walls is a centralv wall 19 dividingthe interior of the head into two horizontal chambers. The up r chamber 20 of the head is the inlet cham' r which is formed-with an inlet port 21 which may be connected with a pipe 22 connectin the meter with the source of fluid or'liqni to be metered. The lower chamber in the head 12 is divided by radially arran walls 23 ending between the central wall 19 and the lower wall 18 into four compartments 2s, 25. 26 and 27. y

Centrally located in the lower "chamber, of

the head 12 isl a vertically a sed sleeve v is formed with a, port 29 of area Substantially equal to the area of the inner end of any one of the compartments 24 to 27. Therefore, by revolving the inlet valve the compartments will be successively laced 1n communication with the inlet cham er 20. i

So that liquid or fluid entering the compartments 24 to 27 may pass into the metering chamber, each compartment 24,... 25, 26 and 27 is formed with a port 30. These ports 30 are formed in the lower wall 18 of the head adjacent its outer periphery. It is therefore manifest that liquid delivered to the metering head through the inlet chamber 2() will pass through the inlet valve and distribute itsel 'to the various compartments in succession from whence it will pass into the metering chamber 15 tobe metered.

The metering chamber 15 communicates with four discharge compartments 31, 32, 33 and 34 formed between the upper and lower walls 35 and 36v of the base 16. These compertinents are in vertical alignment with the compartments 24 to 27 in the head and are separated Vfrom each other by radially arranged walls 37 extending between the upper and lower walls 35 and 36 of the base. The discharge compartments 31, 82, 33 and 34 are formed with ports 38 whereby they will be in communication with the metering chamber 15. These ports 38 are formed in the upper wall 35 .of the ba 16 in vertical alignment with the ports 30 ci the inlet cowpartments 24 to 27.

The base 16 is formed with a discharge chamber 39 which is separated from the metering chamber 15 and discharge compartments 31 to 34 by a sleeve discharge valve 40. This discharge valve 46 is vertically varranged in axial alignment with the inlet valve 28 and is journalled forrotation at its ends in the upper and lower walls 35 and 36 of the base 16. The outlet valve is formed at its side with a port 41 which successively 'forms a communication between the discharge compartments 31 to 34 and the discharge chamber 39. The latter communicates with a vertical passageway 42 extending through the body 14 and head 12 and terminates at the latter in a discharge yport 43. 'This port 43 may be connected to a discharge pipe 44.

It should be stated that the valves 28 and are operated in synchronism and that their ports are arranged in diametrically opposed positions.v The valves 28 and 40 are revolved by a gyratory slide 45 horizontally arranged in the metering chamber` 15 and slidably disposed between the lower `wall 18 of the head 12 and the upper wall 35 of the This slide comprises spaced pistons 46 which extend vertically between the adjacent walls ofthe head 12 and base 16 and are rigidly connected by upper and lower webs 47 and 48 which are arranged horizontally. f

i The gyretory slide 45 is reciprocably menaces mounted in a reciprocable slide 49 which is reciprocably mounted for reciprocation in a horizontal plane within the metering chamber 15. This reciprocable slide 49 is formed with spaced parallel pistons 50 which are rigidly connected by a bar 5l as disclosed in Figs. 4 and 6. The pistons 50 extend vertically between adjacent wallsof the head 12 and base 16 and horizontally between par-v allel guide surfaces 52 at opposite sides o the metering chamber 15. The adjacent inner faces of the pistons 50 are formed with guide surfaces 53 between which the pistons 46 of 'the gyratory slide 45 extend and are slidable.

It is obvious that when the gyratory slide 45 gyrates about the vertical axis of the metering chamber' (in alignment with which axis the valves 28 and 40 are arranged) that it will reciprocate within the reciprocal slide 49 and will simultaneously reciprocate the latter. 'lt is likewise apparent that in cer tain positions, pressure applied to actuate the reciprocable slide 49 will aid the slide 45 in its gyratory movement.

The pistons of the slides in reality divide the metering chamber 15 into four metering compartments 31a, 32, 33at and 34a. rlhese compartments correspond with the intake and discharge compartments in the head and base respectively. a

It is intended that'the Huid entering the metering chamber be the means for gyrating the slide 45. For example, referring to Figs. 3 and 4, when the port 29 of the inlet valve 28 registers with the compartment 26, the port 41 of the discharge valve 40 will register with the discharge compartment 31. Therefore, the fluid entering the meter will ent-er the metering compartment 33- and bear against the adjacent piston 46 of slide 45 and move the same laterally. This lateral movement will cause the opposite piston 46 to expel the liquid from the opposite compartment 31a through the discharge compartment 31 into the discharge chamber 39 and from the meter.

In order that the slide 45 will gyrate and operate the valves 28 and 4() in synchronism it is eccentrically connected with both valves.. That is the lower web 48 of the slide 45 is iitted with a pin 54 which extends downwardly and engages a slot 55 formed in the discharge valve top yin a position relatively eccentric to the axis about which the valve 4() revolves. Likewise the top web 47 engages a crank pin 56 carried by an adjusting f The relative positions and the movementof the indicating mechanism 11 will re 'ster the vvalves is such that the uid will exert a pressure on the pistons of the slides 'in-succession and keep-them in constant motion.

Themovement of the slides is limited by their connection with the valves and therefore the cubic areal-which they displace is translated into gallons by the registering mechanism 11. To -accomplish this the sleeve. 28a Aoit the inlet valve extends upwardly through a boss 28" in the head 12 and is itted with a fixed gear 58. This gear meshes with la pinion 59 fixed on the drive shaft 60 of the registering mechanism. The ratio between these gears is such'that each time the pistons displace a cubic area equal to a gallon, one gallon is registered by the registering mechanism. In the drawings,

the indicator is shown as indicating portions of one gallon and multiples of one gallon.

In order to adjust the device to render it exactly accurate, I provide means for adjusting the stroke of the pistons by changing the distance betweentlie axis of the inlet valve and the crank pin 56, vAs before stated this crank pin is fixed on a plate 57 which. is normally stationarily held on'the bottom of the inlet valve 28.

Reference being had to Fig.l 5 wherein this structure is most clearly illustrated it is seen that the plate 57 is formed with an upwardly projecting pin 61 which engagesv an eccentrically positioned hole inthe bottom of theinlet valve 28. Intermediate the pin 61 and the crank pin 56, the plate 57 is formed with an arcuate slot 62 struck from the center of the pin 61.y This slot is located ot center relative to the pins 61 and 56 as disclosed.

Projecting u wardly through the slot and throu h the va ve stem of the valve 28 is an adjusting pin 63. The lower end of this pin is formed with a head 64, the upper surface of which bears against the under surface 'of the 'adjustment' plate 57.- The head 64 of the adjusting pin63 is formed with an upwardly projecting eccentrica'lly positioned pin 65 which engages a notch 66 formed at the center and forward edge of the arcuate slot 62. It is obvious .therefore that when the pin 63 is turned, the pin 65 will cause the adjustment plate to slightly pivot about' the pin 61 and change the distance from the center of the ladjustment pin 63 to the center of the crank pin 56. As the adjusting in 63 is located on the axial center of the y inlet valve 28 it is seen that by turning the pin that the distance from the center of the valve to the center of the crank pin will.

the pistons and changes the amount'which i wardly through will be rotated and 'in turn, as described,

will alter the stroke ofthe crank pin 56. This will etl'ect the stroke of the slides so that the displacement of the latter may be accurately indicated by the indicating mechanisinll. y

In operation of the device, assuming that luid is delivered to the pipe 22 by a pump or by gravity and that the inlet andy discharge valves 28 and 40 are in the positions disclosed in the drawings, the fluid delivered through the intake port 21 will discharge through the port 29 in the valve 28 into .the inletcompartment 26. From this compartment theiuid will discharge downwardly through the porty30 into the meter-` ing compartment 33a where it will act against the adjacent piston of the gyratory slide 45. The pressure of the iluid will act to move the gyratory slide towardthe opposite meteringchamber. The opposite pistonof the gyratory slide will act to displace the liquid in this latter. compartment and will forceit downwardly through the discharge compartment 31 in the base and thence through the port 41 in the discharge valve 40 into the discharge chamber 39. From the'discharge chamber it will pass u the passageway 42 into t e discharge pipe 44.'

It is manifest from the foregoing description that as the slide is movedto `dis lace the liquid in the compartment 3 1a o the metering chamber, that due to its eccentric connection with'the inlet valve 28, the ratory slide will gyrate about the vertica axis Or center of the metering chamber. Therefore as it moves toward the compartment 31 it will also movethe slide 49 in a direction tending-to displace the liquidin the compartment 32a lof lthe metering chamber.

4It is seen that as soon as the crank pin 56 passes over the center vthat the port 29 in the inlet valve will commence to closel the intake compartment 26 and start to open the intake compartment 27. Likewise the'v port '41 in' lthe discharge valve '40 will` commence to close the discharge compartment 31 and commence toopen the discharge compartment 32. Therefore, as soon as the port 29 inthe' inlet valve commences to register with the compartment 27 fluid will passy-from the inlet chamber into the metering compartno y ment 34a 'and exert a pressure against the adjacent piston of the reciprocable slide 49. This pressure will aid in gyrating the gyratory slide 45.

It is seen that while fluid is being admitted from -the inlet chamber 20 to the metering compartment 34a,the port 41 in the discharge valve 40 has commenced to register with the'discharge compartment 32, and permits liquid to be expelled from this compartment into ythe discharge chamber 39.

Reference being had to Fig. 4 when the crank pin 56 is .moved one-quarter of its cycle of operation, the port 29 in the valve 28 will be out of register with the intake compartment 26 and in full register with the intakel compartment 27. Likewise the port 41 in the discharge valve 40 will be out of register with the ischarge compartment 31 and` in full register with the discharge compart-J` ment 32.5 Therefore, the pressure ofthe fluid against the piston in the metering compartment 34 willi move the crank pin 56 over center and the inlet port 29 will commence to discharge port 41 will commence to register with lthe discharge compartment- 32. Therefore, vfluid ressure will be exerted on the piston oft e reciprocable slide within the metering compartment 34a and "also within the metering compartment 31 against the piston of the -gyratory slide 45.

' Due to the position of the port 41, the disl. :so

charge compartments 32 and 33 will be' placed incommunication with the 'discharge chamber 39 so that the displacement of the pistons in the meterin compartments 32a and 33* will cause the liquid to be expelled from lthe meter. l p

It is obvious from the foregoing that the inlet and discharge valves will be synchronously operated in order that the fluid will successively enter the compartments Vof the metering chamber and exert a pressure a ainst the pistons in rotation, and that these plstons will act to successively expel the fluid from the chambers which are diametricall opposed to those` in which the fluid is a mitted.

As described, the pressure of the Huid acting in this manner causes the slide 45 to gy-' rate and operate the valves. This rotary movement of the valves 'drives the registering mechanism 11 which records in gallons the amount of liquid discharged from the meter.-

One of the princi al features of the present meter 4is that t e bearing surfacesbetween the pistons and the adjacent walls of the head and base between which they operate will not be subjected to the abrasive action of gritty substances contained in the liquid being metered. This is for the reason that a clear vertical passageway is provided between the ports forming communications scrape surface in their movement toward the ports ing compartments, through the ports 38 intothe discharge compartments. From the discharge compartments they may pass through the port 41 in the valve 40 into the 'discharge chamber 39.

Should any grit or abrasive substance deposit upon .the Iupper Vwall of .the base on which-the pistons operate, the pistons lwill the gritty ,substance from the bearing 38 andl discharge the isubstance `into the ports 38.

It is'therefore a parent that any gritty substance in the fluld will not'have the opportunity of getting between the bearing sur- 'facs of the pistons and adjacent walls of the head and'base to cause rapid wear of the parts. Such wear would quickly result in inaccurate metering and faulty operation of .the device. 1 register withthe intake chamber 24 and the made by those-skilled in the art without de-` partingfrom the spirit of the invention, as y defined inthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: y l l `1. A'fluid meter comprising a casing having inlet and discharge openings and a metering chamber therein, meterin lmeans in the metering chamber'adapted to e actuated by fluid admitted to the metering chamber, said* meansincluding a gyratory piston, a

rotatable inlet valve disposed at o-ne end of.

the metering chamber, a rotatable discharge valve disposed at the other end of the metering chamber, connecting means between the gyratory piston'and said valves whereby gyration of lsaid piston will operate the valves in synchronism therewith, a registering mechanism and means connecting said registering mechanism to the piston whereby movementl of said piston will operate the registering mechanism.A

2. A fluid meter comprising a casing havmg an inlet port at its upper end and a discharge port at its Jlower end, a metering -chamber formed intermediate said ports, me-

tering means within said metering chamber and adapted to be actuated by fiuid admitted to the chamber, said metering means including pistons dividing said metering chamber mto four compartments, a rotatable. inlet valve disposed above the meterin chamber and controlling the passage of ilui from the inlet port to said metering compartments, a rotatable discharge valve disposed below the metering chamber to control the dischargeof fluid from said metering compartments to' accises said discharge port, means forming an operative connection between said pistons and said valves whereby they will be operated in synchronism to successively admit fluid to said metering compartments and to permit the discharge of fluid therefrom, and registering means operated by'said pistons to register the volume of fluid passing through said meter. y

3. A Huid meter comprising a casing formed of a meter head, a base, and a body ortion disposed intermediate the head and ase, a metering chamber formed in said body portion, metering means disposed within said chamber and adapted to be actuated by fluid admitted thereto, said metering means including a reciprocable slide and" a gyratory slide, said slides dividing the metering chamber into four compartments, there being an intake port in the head, a rotatable inlet valve in the-headcontrolling the admittance of fluid from the intake port to said metering compartments, a rotatable discharge valve in Athe base controlling the discharge or" fluid from the metering compartments, there being a discharge port in the base in communication with said valve, a connection between said gyratory slide and said valves whereby gyration 'of said slide will rotate said valves to successively admit Huid to saidmetering compartments and to permit' it to discharge therefrom, and registering means operatively connected to said gyratory slide.

4. A fluid meter comprising a casing formed of a meter head, a base, and a body portion disposed intermediate the head and base, a metering chamber -formedi'n said body portion, metering means disposed within said chamber and adapted to be actuated by uid admitted thereto, said metering means including a reciprocable slide and a gyratory slide, said slides dividing the metering chamber into four compartments, an intake port in the head, a rotatable inlet valve in the head controlling the admittance of fluid from the intake port to said metering compartments, a rotatable discharge valve int e base controlling the discharge of fluid from the metering compartments, a discharge port in the base in communication with said valve, a connection Vbetween said gyratory slide and said valves whereby gyration of said slide will rotate said valves to successively admit fluid to said metering compartments and to permit it to discharge therefrom, and registering means operatively connected to 'said gyratory slide, and

means for varying the stroke of said gyra-I tory slide.

5. A fluid meter comprising a casing having inlet and outlet openings and a metering chamber formed therein, metering means disposed within said metering chamber and adapted to be actuated by fluid admitted ,the discharge opening, an operative connection between the metering means and said valves whereby the latter will operate synchronously with the metering means, and a registering mechanism operated by said metering means.

6. A. fluid meter comprising a casing having inlet and discharge openm and a meterlng chamber formed therem, meterin means disposed within said chamber divi ing said chamber into four compartments said metering means being actuated by fluid admitted successively to said compartments, an inlet compartment 4above each metering compartment, adischarge compartment below each metering compartment, said inlet and discharge compartments being in constant communication with the metering compartments, a rotar valve adapted to successivelyv admit Hui to said inlet compartments from the inlet o ening, a rotary valvel adapted to permit t e dl charge of 100 iuid from said discharge compar ents to said discharge opening 1n succession, means forming an operative connection between the meterin means and said valves whereby they wil operate in synchronism with the metering means, anda registering mecha nism operated by said metering means.

7. A Huid meter comprising a casing having a metering chamber formed therein, co` operative istons disposed within the metering cham er and having pistons dividing said metering chamber into four metering compartments, said pistons being adapted tobe operated by duid admitted to said meterin com artments in succession, an inlet cham er a ove the meterin chamber, an inlet compartment disposed above each metering compartment and intermediate the meterin cham-her and the inlet chamber, a ischarge chamber beneath the metering chamber, a dischargekcompartment for each metering compartment and d isposed intermediate the meterin chamber and the discharge chamber, sai inlet and discharge compartments being in lconstant communication with the metering compartments, a rotary inlet valve adapted to form a communication between the inlet chamberv andthe inlet compartments in succession, a rotary valve adapted to form a communicalao `tion between the discharge compartmentsand the discharge chamber in succession, an operative connection between said pistons and said valves whereby they will operate in synchronism, and `a registering mechanism o erated by saidslides. f

8. A liqui meter comprising a casing having a metering chamber formed therein, `an inlet chamber at one end of the meterin chamber, a discharge chamber at the ot er end of the metering chamber," cooperating pistons within the metering chamber dividin the metering chamber into a pluralityo metering com artments, a rotatable inlet valve interposed` tween the meterin chamber and the-inlet chamber and adapte to successively admit fluid to said compartments from the inlet chamber, a rotary discharge valve below the. metering chamber 2 and adapted to successively permit the'discharge of fluid from said metering com partments to said discharge chamber, and

an operative connection between said pistons and said valves whereby they will operate in vsylynchronism, and re 'stering means driven b said pistons to in icate the volume ofliqui displaced. thereby.

`pistons within the -metering chamber dividing the metering chamber into a plurality of metering compartments, a rotatable inlet valve interposed between the metering chamber and the inlet chamber and adapted to successively admit fluid to said compart-v ments from the inlet chamber, a rotary discharge valve intermediate the metering chamber and the discharge chamber and adaI ted to successively permit the discharge of iuid vfrom said metering compartments to Said discharge chamber, and an operative connection between said pistons and said valves whereby they will operate in synchronism, and registering means driven by said `pistons to indicate the volume of liquid displaced thereby, and means for varying the stroke of said pistons to change the ratio between them and the registerin mechanism.

ALBERT J GRANBERG. 

